Saakashvili Urges Putin to Help in Release of Georgian Journalists
Chief of the President?s Administration Irakli Chubinishvili said on September 6 that President Saakashvili has already sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, in which he requested the Russian President to personally facilitate release of Georgian journalists, detained in Russia?s North Ossetian town of Beslan on September 4.
?We have no promising information for now, but we hope that the incident will be over soon,? Chief of the President?s Administration Irakli Chubinishvili said on September 6.
Journalist of Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 television Nana Lezhava and cameraman Levan Tetvadze were arrested by the North Ossetian police, while covering developments in the terror-stricken town of Beslan.
Rustavi 2 television reported on September 6, that the criminal charges for illegal crossing the state border has been already brought against the Georgian journalists. According to the North Ossetian police officials Nana Lezhava and Levan Tetvadze had no Russian visas and special journalist accreditations issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
However, Rustavi 2 television claims that Nana Lezhava and Levan Tetvadze did not need Russian visa to visit Russia?s North Ossetian Republic, as they had IDs issued by the administration of Kazbegi, town in northern Georgia, neighboring with Russia.
According to the agreement between the two countries, the residents of the regions adjacent to the state border between Russia and Georgia can move across the border without visas.
Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze also expressed concern regarding the incident and demanded from the Russian authorities to immediately release Georgian citizens. Burjanadze told reporters that she has already informed regarding the case visiting OSCE ambassadors during the meeting in Tbilisi on September 6.
?Russia has a hard time now and I don?t want to make any radical statements, but detention of our journalists is inadmissible,? Nino Burjanadze added.
